


The Next Step

by cecemiranda



Category: Hairspray (2007)
Genre: Cuteness overload, F/M, Fluff, Marriage Proposal
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-06-11
Updated: 2014-06-11
Packaged: 2018-01-25 17:10:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,932
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1656080
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cecemiranda/pseuds/cecemiranda
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Link decides that it's time to take it to the next level.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Next Step

If you had told Link that he would be looking at engagement rings a few years back, he would have probably laughed and walked away from you as quickly as possible. But that was a long time ago, before Tracy, before he had opened his eyes to the brand new world, before he had stopped being superficial and found some value to his life. Now, he couldn't see himself anywhere else.

"Which one would you like to see first?" The kind old man asked, motioning to the array of solitaires in the case.

Link eyed a particular one that he had seen while he was here the last time. It was simple, like Tracy. Two small diamonds flanked a bigger one that sat upon a flower mold of gold. The second he saw it, he knew that it was the one he wanted to see his girl wearing for the rest of their lives.

He pointed at it, and the man smiled fondly, nodding as he took out the ring.

"It's a 14K carat, white gold. Vintage, actually. It was my wife's ring, before she passed."

Link looked up at the man, frowning. "Why are you selling it, sir?"

"Oh, son, she wanted me to give it away. Said that a sparkly stud on her finger would do her no good when she was dead. Crazy woman, she was. But, I loved her. We would have been married fifty-one years this past month." The man grinned and handed the ring to Link.

Link examined it closely and decided that it was the one he wanted. "How much for it?"

"One-fifty."

Link's eyebrows shot up into his hairline, and he stuttered as he spoke. "B-but, sir! I'm sure this is worth more."

The man dismissed his claims with a wave of his hand, smiling. "It's alright, kid. Take it. Maybe it will be of good look to you and your lady. That's good enough for me."

Link eyed the shop owner once more before digging into his wallet for money. He produced a couple of twenties and some tens until he had the right amount on the top of the case. The old man took the ring from him and stuffed it into a small black velvet box before handing it back.

"Thank you so much, sir." Link smiled, putting the box into his pant pocket.

"It's no problem, son." He grinned. "Just give me a visit when you've hitched. I want to see the ring on your pretty lady's hand. Make an old man smile."

Link nodded, putting his hand out to shake. "Of course, sir. I promise."

The man shook his hand before giving him a small push towards the door. "Go pop the question."

Link waved before walking out to the morning air. He began to tick off the list in his head as he walked, making sure every thing was in place.

Ring? _Check._

Reservations? _Check._

Nice suit for tonight? _Check._

Car? _Check._

Mr. Turnblad? _Not checked._

Link felt his face drain of color as he thought about asking Wilbur Turnblad for his daughter's hand. He was a good guy and all, and seemed to like Link, but this was taking it to the next level, and no one knew how it would turn out.

_No, think of Tracy. She's the love of your life, Link. You want to be with her for the rest of your life, right? Then stop being such a wuss and talk to Mr. Turnblad._

With his self-pep talk, Link adjusted his clothes and set off to the Turnblad home. 

 

* * *

 

 

The tea cup and saucer rattled as Link received it from Edna, and he cursed silently as Tracy's parents gave him curious looks. He had to get it together.

"So, Link, what did you want to talk about?" Wilbur asked kindly, always a smile on his face.

_Well, that might turn into a glare once he realizes what I'm about to ask._ Link thought.

He gulped discreetly before speaking up. "Uh, you both know that I love Tracy more than anything. She's practically my life, and I would do anything for her."

Edna frowned, becoming wary. "What's going on, Link? Is there something wrong with Tracy?

"Nothing to worry about, Mrs. Turnblad." Link assured. "I was just-"

"Oh, no. She's pregnant, isn't she?" When Link stuttered out an answer, she began panicking. "She's _pregnant_! Link Larkin, what have you done to my little girl?! How _dare_ you?!"

"No! Mrs. Turnblad, it's not that!" Link shook his head furiously, trying to calm down the woman.

Wilbur soothed his wife down a bit before turning to the young man. "Then what is it?"

"I want to marry Tracy, and I came to ask for your blessing." He finally confessed.

Wilbur and Edna both froze and looked at each other, then back at Link. "You what?"

"I want to marry Tracy. I love her, and I want to spend the rest of my days with her." He smiled tentatively. "It would mean the world if I could have your blessing, Mr. and Mrs. Turnblad."

Wilbur nodded, grinning widely. "Yes, if she'll have you, of course. I was wondering when you would come around to ask."

Link let out a breath he didn't know he was holding. "Thank you. God, thank you so much."

"When are you going to ask her?" Edna wondered.

"Tonight." Link grinned. "At the Nightingale. I got us reservations."

"Oh, that's a really nice restaurant, Link. You sure you can afford it?" She wondered.

He nodded. "I saved up for months. It's all covered."

Then a serious expression appeared on Wilbur Turnblad's face that had Link sitting ramrod straight and breaking out a sweat.

"Link, are you sure you want to go through this? Not that I take back my blessing, but have you really thought through it? Marriage is a life-long bond, not some opportunity to play house. Tracy's gonna be yours for the rest of your lives, through good and bad. You can't see this through rose-colored glasses, Link. You need to understand that if one day you wake up and realize that it's too tough for you, you can't just walk away from her."

Link looked down at his cup, mulling over the new advice he had just received. Of course he had thought it through. Heck, proposing to Tracy had been on his mind since their five year anniversary, after his mom had congratulated him and approached the topic of marriage. After that, he'd been day dreaming about a future with Tracy. The white wedding, moving in together, Tracy's belly full with his baby, their first child, and all the other memories that would follow. He dismissed the idea of ever separating from the sweet little doll he had the honor to call his girl. They had made it far, even through the hard times that sometimes threatened their relationship. He had seen her at her most vulnerable, and she had seen when he hit rock bottom. He remembered all those moments with her, and decided that he wanted that for the rest of his life.

Link nodded, a look of determination in his blue eyes. "I'm positive, Mr. Turnblad. She's all I want. I don't care how hard it's gonna get. We'll pull through—we always do."

The man smiled proudly, nodding his approval. "Then, son, you can call me Wilbur."

 

* * *

 

 

Link paced nervously in the Turnblad living room, occasionally checking his reflection in the mirror before returning to his pacing. Mr. Turnblad—Wilbur—watched him with an amused smile, leaning lazily on the recliner as he skimmed over the newspaper in front of him. He actually thought it quite funny that the ever-so-cool Link Larkin that everyone in Baltimore knew was actually sweating through his clothes.

"Link, if you keep pacing, you're gonna burn a hole through the rug. Ease up, son. She's coming."

He finally sat down on the couch and sighed in defeat. "But what if she says no? Then what do I do?"

Wilbur shot him an incredulous look, almost standing up and smacking some sense into the boy. "She's not."

That eased some of Link's nerves, but not by much. He was about to put his head in his hands when he heard a quiet clicking of high-heels through the house and looked up.

There Tracy was, looking more beautiful that anything else he had ever seen. She was wearing a deep-plum dress that fell just above her knees and brought out the silky ivory of her skin, as well as her luscious curves. Her hair brushed her biceps and flipped out subtly. It was teased up just a bit, and a ivory ribbon tied the whole thing together. A pair of ivory pumps were at her feet, making her a little taller and finishing the look. Tracy looked like she had walked straight out of Hollywood, and the image made Link loose his insecurities and replace it with a dry throat and a look of awe.

He struggled to find his voice but finally coped. "Trace...you look absolutely stunning."

She scanned her eyes over him, and he looked down at his simple dark suit and white shirt. It was the nicest thing he owned, and pulled it from the depths of his closet for the special night.

"You don't look so bad yourself, Link." She smirked, making him grin at her response.

Edna could barely hold the tears back and wiped them hastily, before ushering the young couple out. "You're gonna be late. Go on. You can tell me all about it tomorrow, honey."

Link offered Tracy his arm, who took it with a grin. Wilbur enveloped Edna in an embrace, smiling proudly at the couple who would soon be taking the next step. He could already hear the bells.

 

* * *

 

 

Tracy glanced at Link, studying him at the corner of her eye. He was tense and nervous, and it began to worry her. She didn't mention it, knowing that her attempts would be fruitless. Instead, she let her mind wander, wondering why the sudden date and all the secrecy around it. Link hadn't uttered a word about the occasion or even where they were going. He had just told her to dress up really fancy and to be ready by eight. She suspected her mom knew what was going on, since she had been extra jumpy and a bit emotional. When Tracy had stepped out of the bathroom after finishing her look, Edna looked ready to burst into tears. It freaked Tracy out a little—heck, the whole night wasn't normal. She didn't like it.

Link turned the corner and began looking for someone to park the car. When Tracy caught a glance of the place they were going towards, her eyes nearly popped out of their sockets. Nightingale, the most luxurious—and expensive—restaurant in Baltimore. It was owned by the Donnelly's, who practically owned half of the city. It was hard to get a reservation, since there was usually a six-month waiting line. However, Link had somehow managed to pull it off.

Tracy broke from her daze as her door opened, and Link offered her his hand. She took it with a shy little smile, and her cheeks flushed when he placed a hand on her back and propelled her forward. Upon entering the restaurant, she looked around discreetly, wanting to remember every little detail of the night. The lighting made the place seem to sparkle gold and give off a sensual vibe. The people sitting at the tables were dressed like movie stars; she wouldn't be too surprised if Audrey Hepburn or Julie Andrews strolled in.

"Reservation for Link Larkin." Link informed the host, making Tracy focus on what was in front of her again.

The host scanned down his book, until his eyes stopped and his head nodded. He led them to a small table for two at the back of the restaurant, right beside the window. Link pulled out Tracy's chair before sitting down on his own, and their waitress handed them menus, leaving them to decide. Tracy looked over the choices, nearly choking at the prices. She settled on the cheapest soup and a glass of water. Link was still deciding, and she examined him from the top of her menu. He fit into the scene, all smoldering azure eyes and cool hair. His sharp suit made him look distinguished and really expensive.

At times, it baffled Tracy how she had gotten so lucky, and it turned out that there, in Nightingale, was one of those times. There she was, with the man of her dreams, at an exclusive restaurant, dressed up and primped. She needed a year to finish college, and Link was about to make his big break. It seemed like a dream.

Their waitress came back, and Tracy placed her order, which made Link frown and tell the waitress to erase it. They had a bit of an argument over her choice, and at the end, he ordered for the both of them, claiming that he had enough to afford anything she wanted. She gave him a wary look but let it go. A smug little smirk made a way on to Link's face, which had Tracy rolling her eyes. Show-off.

They made small talk as they waited their food. Tracy went on about finishing her dissertation, since she was about to finish her doctorate in psychology. The past few weeks had weighed massively on her, since they were crucial to her paper. Link talked about getting the leading role on what was supposed to be the film of the century. He had already started filming, leaving to Los Angeles a couple of days on end. Tracy missed him, but her dissertation kept her busy and distracted.

The food came, and they ate in comfortable silence, savoring the fine cuisine Nightingale was famous for. Link could hardly swallow a bite, since his nervousness had his throat closing up. He played it cool, though, and Tracy seemed oblivious to his distress.

Once he noticed that Tracy seemed to be getting full, he decided it was time.

"Trace?" He spoke up, making the girl look up. "This night has been amazing. You look gorgeous, we're in one of the finest restaurants in the city, and life is just good. Ever since you looked at me with those pretty little brown eyes of yours, my life has become better; I've become better. Every day, with your wit and your kindness, you make me realize how lucky I am to be alive and to be honest, I couldn't be more thankful to be able to call you my girl. It makes me think about what could happen down the road, and I like how the picture is turning out. Kids, growing old, all that."

He stood up shakily from his chair and dropped to one knee in front of her, opening the velvet box with trembling fingers. He swallowed the lump in his throat and smiled shyly at her. "Tracy, will you marry me?"

Tracy's hands were covering her mouth, tears glinting gold in the light. She nodded vigorously, letting out a laugh mixed with a sob. Link sighed in relief, a great big grin breaking through as he grabbed her left hand and slid the ring onto her fourth finger. He placed a delicate kiss on the top of it and stood up, looking down at his wife-to-be. She yanked him down by the lapels on his suit, slamming her lips to his. He steadied himself by placing his hands on the arm rests and gave into the emotion he was experiencing. The kiss wasn't just innocent or passionate like the ones before. No, it was sweet and intense, and all Tracy. It made Link loose his breath at the raw feeling and had his head reeling. That's what love felt like: overwhelming, extraordinary, and breathtaking.

He was in love, and the woman in his arms would be his forever.

 

* * *

 

 

The old man ran the rag over the top of the glass case, making it glint like the diamonds it contained. A chime of bells rung out as someone walked into the shop, and he looked up to see who it was. A big smile appeared on his face as he recognized the young blue-eyed man and the young lady at his arm, her ring sparkling brighter than all the jewels in the shop. The newly weds stopped in front of the man, the boy smiling widely and placing an arm around his wife.

"I came, as promised." Link smiled. "This is Tracy, my wife."

Tracy shook his hand, a small smile on her glowing face. "It's a pleasure to meet you. Link told me about the ring. Thank you so much."

The man waved his hand, grinning. "It's no problem. My wife would have wanted it that way. Plus, I see that it's lucky. When was the wedding?"

"Two months ago." Link answered. "We finally settled into our house a few days ago and decided to give you the news."

"Well, I'm honored. May you have a long and happy marriage. Really, I hope you kids have a great life together."

Link grinned down at Tracy, who seemed touched at the words. Her hand fell down to her abdomen, absentmindedly caressing the growing bump. Link placed his hand on top of hers and kissed her temple, making Tracy subconsciously inch closer towards him and lean into his touch.

_Oh, yeah._ Link thought.  _Life is good._

 

 


End file.
